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I have a pair of KEF R300 at home for testing and i have to say i am very impressed even with my modest Cyrus 6XP amplifier. Since the LS50 is not yet available for testing i was wondering what the major differences are between the LS50 and the R300.

The size of the LS50 is more suited for my setup but i don't like the fact that there is no front cover for the LS50.

The R300s are a bigger speaker and will give you that extra push in the bass if you need the volume. The LS50 is a slightly more refined and solid sound to my mind. They are both exceptional so only an audition will determine which is best for you. I would have the LS50's as the build quality and the coloured drive units are fantastic.

I have been listening to the KEF R300 this weekend and although i find them really great in almost all areas, i think they miss a bit air and voices are projected behind the speakers. Associated equipment is Vincent CD-S6 tube cd player and Cyrus 6XP amplifier. Speaker cable is Kimber 4TC, interconnects QED silver spiral.

The LS-50s are certainly an improvement over the R100s and have a different timbre, and a warmer sound. But when you go up to the R300s that all changes. The Uni-Q midrange and Kef's new bass drive unit make all the difference. The R300s jerk out the bass like a much bigger floor-stander. Myself, I’d go with the R300s. As for the absence of a dustcover… I like the “rose-gold” drive unit.

I have been listening to the KEF R300 this weekend and although i find them really great in almost all areas, i think they miss a bit air and voices are projected behind the speakers. Associated equipment is Vincent CD-S6 tube cd player and Cyrus 6XP amplifier. Speaker cable is Kimber 4TC, interconnects QED silver spiral.

Will this improve after playing in the speakers?

What you are hearing depends on what you are comparing with! Your own speakers might be different, but since you are listening to new speakers you are looking for a different sound!

I had to get used to vocals (sometimes!) projected behind the speakers because they belonged there! It took some time to find out that this was i was really looking for: real tube-sound. Now i am very happy with what i found out and enjoy it almost every day!

Since nobody answered my question i did some extra research . When reading the KEF R300 (and other KEF R speakers) in the German audio magazines, my findings with the R300 were confirmed. Altough the German magazines love the R300 (and other KEF R speakers) and rate them high, they said that these speakers are less suited for well damped rooms. The sound becomes a bit dark and highs are missing according to the reviewers. Since my room is well damped i can only confirm this.

Since today i am listening to a pair of new LS50 speakers in my own setup and i have to say these are totally different beasts. The sound is more direct, more detailled and more open. The speakers still have to be played in, but the result is already better than with the R300 although i still lack a bit of air and would like the voices a bit more forward. I will see if this changes the next days.

Since today i am listening to a pair of new LS50 speakers in my own setup and i have to say these are totally different beasts. The sound is more direct, more detailled and more open. The speakers still have to be played in, but the result is already better than with the R300 although i still lack a bit of air and would like the voices a bit more forward. I will see if this changes the next days.

Exactly why I'll be changing my R300's for LS50's for my 5.1 system

One thing I will mention, is that what the R series and LS50 is ultimately capable of is very dependent on the accompanying electronics. They're the same as the Blades - they can sound great, or they can sound phenomenal.